Graduation
by PLLTwilight29
Summary: It's Graduation day! Aria is graduating and Ezra has a special graduation gift.


**Aria's P.O.V.** Today is finally here! Today is my day of freedom! Today is the day I graduate from Rosewood High School! I'm very excited to be graduating later on today, with my best friends by my side in caps and gowns, and my English teacher, the love of my life Ezra Fitz, handing me my diploma. It was now 2 o'clock P.M. on Friday, the last day of school. My best friends, Spencer, Hanna,  & Emily, and I were sitting in my favorite class, Enlgish, talking about this evening. The evening we graduate from Rosewood High. In just three weeks, my amazing boyfriend and I will be moving into a nice two-bedroom apartment near Central Park in New York. We both have always wanted to go and start writing careers there. And New York is a great place for that! It's also a great place to raise kids. But not now! Ezra and I will start a family when the time is right, preferably when I'm done with college. I got excepted into one of the best schools in New York, Columbia University. I'm taking some of their advanced Language Arts, Reading, Writing, and English classes. They're all the same subject, but they each teach special things required to be an English teacher, and then there's the other required subjects, mathematics, science, and social studies I have always wanted tob e an English teacher. I love stories and writing. The man I love has the same dreams and interests as I do; he's a writer and an English teacher, my English teacher. But only for the rest of the day. In class, Hanna, Emily & Spencer were all talking about graduation, and how they're all gonna miss each other. I was in my own thoughts, thinking about how life's gonna be after I leave Rosewood. I suddenly heard my name fall out of Emily's mouth. "Aria?" she asks. "Huh?" I asked, hopping out of my imagination. "I said what are you wearing tonight?" "Well, I was thinking about my new short damson-colored strapless, with the black highs I bought last weekend in Philadelphia. How about you guys?" "I'm thinking about wearing that bright red gress I almost wore to Ian's funeral," Hanna said, smirking. "Oh god, Hanna. You were seriously going to wear a tight red dress to a funeral? It looks like something you'd wear to a party or a club," Spencer said. We all laughed and continued to talk about tonight. Later on after graduation, the girls are going to Noel Kahn's cabin for a graduation party. I decided not to go. Ezra is surprising me, as a graduation present. School ended soon. Today was filled with cries and goodbyes. It was really a sad school day for me, I mean, it was my last day of high school. I'm gonna miss all of my friends, especially my best friends, Tonight is really gonna be the last night we'll spend together. Emily is leaving tomorrow for two weeks to go to her grandmother's home in San Diego; Spencer is also going to be gone, on a cruise with her boyfriend, Toby, for five weeks. That's a month from now. That's when Ezra and I will be gone. Hanna is staying here in Rosewood, until the end of Summer. So I'll spend some time with her before I leave. It was now 5 o'clock P.M. I'm ready to get to school for graduation. I'm wearing my damson purple strapless dressm that stops a few inches above my knees. I'm also wearing my brand new black high heels from Michael Kors. I have on a heart-shaped necklace Ezra had given me on Valentine's Day a few months ago. He wanted me to wear it tonight. My nails and bracelets were the same color as my dress. My hair is in loose, bouncy curls. I soon left my house with my parents and my brother, Mike. I am just one hour away from graduating. ~  
I soon got to school. My dad and Mike went to the auditorium to find some seats, My mom and I made our way to one of the large class rooms, we're they held the caps and gowns. As we walked in, I was greeted by the girls, and my mom went to help with passing out the graduating attire. My friends and I got in line to get our attires. My mom handed me a blue cap and gown, that fit just about right for my small, petite figure. As soon as we got dressed, my friends and I made our way to join our classmates, seated in the auditorium. The ceremony began a short time ago. Some teachers gave speeches. About 4-5 students recieved an award for being the top student in a specific subject. My mom gave a speech. Then announced the top student in English. "I am beyong astounded to present this award to the top student over all for Grade 12 English. And that student is my daughter, Aria Montgomery," she said. Loud claps from students, teachers, and parents began to rise and fill the room. I got up from my seat. I was then greeted with hugs by my best friends. I walked up the steps, and recieved a standing ovation as I walked to my mother. I gave her a hug, then she gave me my certificate, "Certificate of Achievement in English." I then smiled at Ezra, who was standing next to other teachers. He smiled at me, while mouthing, "I'm proud of you." I continued to smile and exited the stage. Merely 45 minutes passed by. Some other students got "Certficate of Achievement" awards like I did. And valedictorian, Mema Butera, recited her speech. After her speech, the principal came to the podium, and announced for Ezra to come up on stage and hand us our diplomas. After many names have gone by, it was finally Hanna's turn. "Hanna Marin," Ezra announces. Spencer, Emily & I get up and hug her. She then goes up, Ezra shakes her hand, she gets her diploma, & heads back down to her seat. Finally, a minute of my "Fifteen Minutes of Fame" was finally here! "Aria Montgomery," Ezra announces. My friends gave me a big hug. I walked up the side stairs, up to the podium. I walked over to Ezra. He shook my hand, and handed me my diploma. I gave him a big hug. We broke the hug s few moments later, I looked at the audience, and walked down the stairs to sit next to my friends. We all finally got our diplomas! We have graduated! The ceremony was soon over. All the graduates went outside to the football field to take a picture. After the picture, we threw up or caps in the air. Doing that felt like freedom. Soon later, I was with the girls while our parents were talking. We went to the classroom to return our attires. Then, we walked around the school one last time. We walked to the front of the school. Toby was by his truck, and he and Spencer left. Emily and Paige were leaving, too. They were all on their way to go to the graduation party that started about half-an-hour ago. As Hanna and I were talking, Ezra came up to us. "Hi, girls. Congratulation," he said smiling. "Thanks,: Hanna said, we both smile. "Well, Aria, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked. "Yeah, definately." I tell her, and gave her a big hug. "Bye," she whispered as she waved to us and walked away. "Now, since you aren't my student anymore, how about we go out to dinner to celebrate?" Ezra askes. "I'd love to," I said softly as I got closer to him and wrapped my tiny arms around his neck. He wrapped his strong arms around my small torso and pecked my soft pink lips. I broke the kiss after a mere few seconds. "Let's go tell my parents," I said. "Okay," he says grinning. He takes my hand and we walk. After what felt like a five-year stroll down memory lane, we finally found my parents. They were talking with Mike's geometry teacher, but soon ended the conversation as we walked up to them. "Ezra," my dad started, "nice to see you again," he said as he had a small grin on his face, and held his hand out to Ezra. "Nice to see you, too," Ezra said, shaking my dad's hand. He looked at my mom and Mike, "all of you." "So," Mike said, "are we all gonna do something tonight?" "Um, actually I was planning o taking Aria out. We came to tell you," Ezra said. "That seems okay. I'm sure we can do something tomorrow. It's your graduation night, do whatever you want!" My mom says, happily. "Thanks, I hope you're all okay with this," I say. "We are," Mike says, smiling. My mom embraces me with a warm, motherly hug, "Now you go have fun, but not TOO much fun," she says,emphasizing "too." "Thanks," I reply. After a few more hugs, congrats, and goodnights,Ezra and I finally got in his car, and drove to a very expensive restaurant located on the border of Rosewood and Philadelphia. Once we got inside to what seemed like a fine dining palace, a fellow petite, young waitress escorted us to a table outside. Our table setting was absolutely perfect. We were outside on a nice, warm, starry night. A beautiful view of the dark blue sky filled with shining stars filled out eyes. There were also big, tall trees about half-a-mile away. There were only a few filled tables a couple of feet away from us. Our dinner was fantastic! It had been one of the best meals I'd ever had! Our food was very expensive, and I kinda felt bad that Ezra had to pay for everything. I tried to pitch in, but he said that this was one of my graduation presents. "Are you having a great night so far?" He asks me. "Yes, I am. Thank you so much for dinner. I love this," I respond happily. "Are you ready for your second graduation gift?" "I thought I was getting that at your apartment," I say smirking and give him a wink. He grinned at my reply. "Uh no, that's actually the last present," he says. "Okay, so far I'm loving this night. What's the second gift?" As I said that, a waiter and a waitress came out with my favorite dessert, a big slice of cold butter cream cake, with a hot melting of caramel dripping from the sides. They clapped their hands when the dessert touched the table. "Congratulations on graduation!" They said as they clapped, threw some confetti over us, and blew some party blowers. People from other tables began to clap as well. "Thank you so much," I gasped. The waiters then left a few moments later. "There's one more thing," Ezra said. He stood up from his seat, walked around our small, circular table, and got down on one knee. He pulled out a small navy-colored box and opened it, revealing a small diamond ring. I gasped as he did so, and he gently took my hand in his. "Aria, since that first day we met in the bar, I have been truly, deeply, and madly in love with you. You've changed my life. We've gone through our ups and downs. We've been through Hell and back. We've gone through situations no couple has gone through before. But in the end, we always won the battle." I start to tear up as he continues. "We've had our wonderful days, filled with our wonderful moments, that I am deeply grateful for, and will always cherish for the rest of my life. And I definately hope we have many more of those moments in the future. Aria Montgomery, I love you, so much. I hope to spend the rest of my life with you. I hope I have a family with you. I promise to love you until the end of time. You, and only you. Will you marry me?" By now, my face is covered in tears of joy/ That man that I've loved for two years has just proposed to me, and gave the most heart-melting speech anyone could ever hear. I look up for a second, embracing this beautiful, bright and starry night at this wonderful setting. I then begin to notice couples from the few other tables starring at up happily. I take a peek inside the restaurant, and see a couple of people from tables stare at us as well. I lean my head back down towards Ezra's, starring into his intriguing, crystal-blue eyes. I begin to smile, and answer... "Yes." As soon as I said that, clapping erupted from the quiet setting, inside and out. Ezra took the ring out the box, and placed the box on the table, next to my dessert. Ezra took my same hand he held throughout his proposal, and slid the sparkling, expensive diamond ring onto my small finger. He got up from his knees and gave me a long, beautiful and passionate kiss on my soft shell-pink lips. "I love you," he said once we released from what I think was the best kiss we've ever shared together. "I love you, too." I said, and he gave me a nice, warm hug. It has been about 20 minutes since Ezra had proposed. We have been sitting and talking happily as we ate the dessert. A few people came up to us to congratulate us, and talked to us about marriage. A nice elderly woman even offered to take our picture. I have had the perfect day today, and Ezra and I are about to end our perfect night at his apartment. I can't wait to move to New York; marry the most wonderful man on Earth; go to school and become a writer and a teacher; and have a wonderful family soon.


End file.
